The Indiana Pacers just lost 121-117 to the New York Knicks after what proved to be yet another eventful playoff game. The Pacers kept up the fight throughout the game but there were instances where it looked like the Knicks were just better. Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana’s standout player, was having an off night, after scoring just 6 points throughout the entire game. He only scored 2 out of the 6 shots he attempted on the night.
Just like Haliburton, the Pacers were not at their best. As a team, they made 52.3 % of their shots against the Knicks, whereas Jalen Brunson and Co. made 53.7%. Speaking after the game, Haliburton said, “Obviously frustrating, playing ahead in Game 1, feel like we should’ve won that game, but at the end of the day it starts with me, and I’ll be better in Game 2.”
The player took responsibility for the loss after putting up subpar numbers on a big stage against a team like the Knicks. He also mentioned that he made too many turnovers and he had to be better for the sake of the team.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle breaks silence on the Myles Turner call vs Knicks
Toward the end of the game, the Pacers and Myles Turner were given an illegal screen call which has sparked huge controversy. Donte Divincenzo turned into Myles when the latter tried to provide a screen for Haliburton. Even Turner looked visibly baffled, indicating that the contact between him and Donte might have been quite minimum after all.
“I don’t want to talk about the officiating. We’re not expecting to get calls in here. It would be nice if they laid off that one, but they didn’t.”
Rick Carlisle on the Myles Turner illegal screen call at the end of Pacers-Knicks Game 1 🗣️pic.twitter.com/GgWmQ9bnfi
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 7, 2024
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said, “I don’t want to talk about the officiating. We’re not expecting to get calls in here. It would be nice if they laid off that one, but they didn’t. That’s just the way it goes. We challenged it. They reviewed it. They’ve got a bunch of people in New Jersey that agreed with them, so that’s just the way it goes.”
Carlisle avoided saying much about the officiating and stayed away from stirring some drama. But it is evident that the coach is far from happy about the call that was given against his team, one that could have possibly cost them the win.
Myles Turner makes a bold claim about NBA refereeing after controversial kickball call
That’s not the only controversial call that was given against the Pacers. In the fourth quarter, with just 52 seconds on the clock, Brunson tried to make a pass through Aaron Nesmith. The ball hit the Pacers star’s knee, but the officials called it a kickball. This was another decision that went against the Pacers.
Everyone’s gonna focus on that illegal screen in Knicks-Pacers, but this kickball call was arguably worse and not talked about enough on the broadcast.pic.twitter.com/pwA84tIXp0
— David Furones (@DavidFurones_) May 7, 2024
Turner said, “I think we’re all looking forward to the Last 2 Minute Report coming out. I think there were 2 controversial calls. The kick ball by Aaron Nesmith was not a kick ball. You clearly see on replay.” The player refers to the two calls and mentions that both decisions were not clear.
The Pacers didn’t have much luck, and they managed to put up a great fight even without Haliburton’s best performance. But they have not made much fuss around the officiating, and have accepted that they needed to be a better side to beat the Knicks in Game 2.